Salary negotiation email template

Three short templates: for a job offer, for the job you already have, and for "this is our best offer".

The short answer

Talk first if you can. Use the email to confirm. If the offer came by email, reply by email.
Name one figure.
Give one reason, tied to the work.
Ask one question that moves things forward.
Keep it under 150 words.

Template 1

Replying to a job offer

Subject: [Role] offer

Dear [name],

Thank you for the offer. I would like to join [company], and I am
glad to have the terms in writing.

Before I accept, I would like to discuss the base salary. Given
[the scope we discussed / my experience running X], I am looking
for [figure].

Is there room to move to that figure? I can talk today or tomorrow
if that is easier.

Two more questions, so that I understand how pay works at [company]:
when is pay reviewed, and who decides it?

Best regards,
[name]

Template 2

Asking for a raise in your current job

Ask in a conversation, then send this the same day:

Asking for a raise in your current job

Subject: My pay: summary of today

Thanks for the conversation today. To keep a note:

1. I asked to move to [figure] from [date]. The one-page summary
   is attached.
2. You said you will take it to [the pay round / name] on [date].
3. You asked me for [item] by [date]. I will send it.

Tell me if I have any of this wrong.

If you cannot get a meeting, open by email:

Asking for a raise in your current job

Subject: Request to discuss my pay

I would like thirty minutes to discuss my pay before [the date pay
is decided]. I have put my case on one page, attached. When would
suit you?

The full method for the conversation is in how to ask for a raise.

Template 3

Replying to "this is our best offer"

Subject: Re: [Role] offer

Thank you for coming back to me. I understand the salary is fixed
at [their figure].

Could we agree a pay review at six months, with the criteria in
writing? With that in the offer letter, I am ready to accept.

Best regards,
[name]

If the salary cannot move, something else often can: a review date, the start date, the level or the working pattern.

Why one figure, one reason, one question

One figure. If you give a range, expect the lower number.
One reason. Tie it to the work you will do. Your rent is not a reason for them.
One question. A question at the end tells them what to do next.

Two questions to ask before you accept

Most people negotiate the starting salary and never ask how it will change. Ask both of these while you still have their attention:

"When is pay reviewed?"
"Who decides it?"

The answers tell you when your first raise can happen and who has to see your work before then. Write them down.

What to say on the call

A short salary negotiation script:

Say

"Thank you for the offer. I would like to join. Before I accept, I would like to talk about the base salary. Given the scope we discussed, I am looking for [figure]. Is there room to move to that?"

Then stop talking. After the call, send Template 1 as the written record.

What not to write

An apology for asking.
Your personal costs as the reason.
An ultimatum you will not carry out.
A long history of your career. They have your CV.

When it goes wrong

No reply. Follow up once, after a few working days: "I wanted to check that you received my note on the offer."
They ask for your current salary. You can decline politely and return to the role: "I would rather base this on the scope of the role. For that, I am looking for [figure]."
They withdraw room they offered on the call. Reply with what was said and when, and ask them to confirm.

Questions

Is it acceptable to negotiate salary by email? Yes. A call is faster, and an email gives you a record. Use both.

How long should a salary negotiation email be? Under 150 words.

Should I give a range or a single figure? A single figure.

Does this work for a raise in my current job? The email is the easy part. The case and the timing matter more. See how to ask for a raise.

Day one starts when you accept

The day you accept is the first day of your next annual review. You already know when pay is reviewed and who decides, because you asked. The next step is to write down the year you want. The full method is free: Start your annual review on day one, with a free workbook.

If you would rather have it kept for you, a coach that runs it is planned.